Patient Confidentiality

Your Confidential Information

The doctors and healthcare team caring for you need to keep records about your health and any treatment and care you are receiving. The records help to ensure that you receive the best possible care and may be written down (manual records) or held on a computer. These records may include:

basic details about you, such as date of birth, address and next of kin.

contact we have had with you, such as doctor’s appointments, visits to the Practice Nurse.

notes and reports about your health; details and records about your treatment and care.

results of investigations, such as laboratory tests and x-rays.

copies of letters and details of treatment received in hospital.

relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you and know you well.

How do we use your records to help others?

The information in your records may be used in the following ways:

your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional involved in your care have accurate and up-to-date information to assess your health and decide the care you need when you visit in the future.

to help teach healthcare professionals

to help in research and development.

How do we keep your records confidential?

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS (e.g. Social Services). We may need to share some information about you with them so we can all work together on your benefit. We will only ever pass information about you to them if they have a genuine need for it OR we have your permission to do so. Anyone who receives information from us has a legal duty to keep it confidential.

All personal health information held by the Practice is stored securely and used only in health-related circumstances. Some of this information may sometimes be shared with other health bodies such as local hospitals etc. but only on health-related grounds. This information comprises both manual and electronic records such as details of consultations, test results, hospital letters, medication details etc.

All patients are allowed access to their personal medical records in accordance with relevant current legislation such as the Access to Medical Records Act 1990 (as amended 1998). If you wish to view your medical records, please put this in writing to the Practice Manager. If you wish to have copies of your medical records there is an administrative charge of £15 for your computerised records and 36p per photocopied page of your paper records. If you have any questions about use of personal health information, please enquire at Reception. Any disclosure of your medical records to a third party will only be done after signed consent to a specific instruction by yourself to do so. The sharing of types of sensitive personal information is strictly controlled by law.